Support bracket



Feb. 1, 1966 H. l. BERMAN 3,232,573

SUPPORT BRACKET Filed Nov. 1. 1961 Herberf Barman INVENTOR.

Ammey:

United States Patent 3,232,573 SUPPORT BRACKET.

Herbert I. Bel-man, Lancaster, Pa., assign'o'r to Penn- ChemCorporation, Lancaster, Pa., a corporation of Pennsylvania Filed Nov.1,1961; Ser. No. 149,330 1 Claim. (Cl. 248-226) This invention relatesto brackets or clamps, and more particularly to a' clamp' adapted tosupport a standard scientific laboratory transformer on a standardlaboratory ring stand or on a one-half to fifty-four hundredths inchdiameter metal rod or on a pipe having a similar outside diameter.

It is the primary object of the invention to provide a device formounting transformers or' other articles above a laboratory table orbench for saving space and removing the transformer to a relatively safeposition where it is free from damage due to spillage of liquids,chemicals, compounds, etc. thereon.

Another object of the invention is to provide a support bracket fortransformers which permits safe, quick and easy mounting of thetransformer in an elevated position without requiring any skill orspecial tools on the part of the operator.

It is another object of the invention to provide a bracket forsupporting various objects on a rod or pipe which is of relativelysimple design, of economical construction, durable in use and requires aminimum of maintenance.

It is still another object of the invention to provide a bracket forsupporting various objects which is particularly adapted to bemanufactured by an extrusion process.

It is another object of the invention to provide a bracket forsupporting objects on straight rods or pipes which may be inserted onand removed from the support in a radial direction, thereby notrequiring that the bracket be inserted over the end of the support.

These together with other objects and advantages which will becomesubsequently apparent reside in the details of construction andoperation as more fully hereinafter described and claimed, referencebeing had to the accompanying drawing forming a part hereof, whereinlike numerals refer to like parts throughout, and in which:

FIGURE 1 is an elevational view showing the bracket installed on avertical rod and supporting a transformer thereon;

FIGURE 2 is a plan view of FIGURE 1;

FIGURE 3 is an enlarged perspective view of the novel bracket or clamp;and

FIGURE 4 is a front elevational view of FIGURE 1 on a reduced scale withthe transformer removed.

With continuing reference to the various figures of the drawings whereinidentical reference numerals indicate like parts, it can be seen thatthe bracket is secured to the rear of a standard scientific laboratorytransformer 12 and supports it in an elevated position on a verticallyextending rod 14. The rod 14 comprises a portion of a standardlaboratory ring stand which has approximately one-half inch diameter.The transformer 12 is of the variable voltage type generally employed inscientific laboratories.

The transformer 12 has a generally cylindrical housing 16 and a controlmechanism 18 on its forward vertically extending face. The back wall ofthe housing 16 includes a vertically extending circular plate 20. Theplate is slightly larger in diameter than the housing 16 and has threemounting wings 21 of arcuate shape spaced 120 apart around itsperiphery. Each wing has a threaded bore 23 for receiving a stud 50 ofbracket 10.

The bracket 10 is of generally rectangular configuration and includesfour rectangular sides 22, 24, 26 and 28 of 3,232,573 M e re 1219 equalsizeand of the same shape, and further includes two parallel end walls30 and 32. I

The bracket 10 is formed with ag'roove 34'which extends longitudinallythere'through, and'the groove further extends through the front wall'24'inwardly at an angle to the side walls 22 and 26 towards the center ofthe bracket. The groove 34 extends slightly beyond the center of thebracket and terminates in a'V-shaped trough 36 having an apex 38. Thegroove 34' has two parallel walls 40 and 42'which form an angle ofapproximately 30 with the side walls 22 and 26. The walls' 4 0 and 42terminate inwardly at the outer edges of the side walls of the trough36. V

The side walls 44 .and 460i trough 36 form'an angle of approximatelywith each other and the w all 44 is parallel to the back wall 28 of thebracket.

A plurality of threaded spaced bores 48 are provided in the center ofthe side wall 44 and extend perpendicular thereto. Threaded cylindricalstuds 50 are screwed into the bores 48. The studs 50 have conventionalscrewdriver slots 52 in their outer ends, and the inner ends thereof areprovided with tapered surfaces 54.

The side wall 26 is provided with a plurality of bores 56 which in turnare provided with threads for receiving and mating with the threads onstud 58. The stud 58 is provided with a conventional wing head 60 tofacilitate manual rotation thereof and its inner end is rounded as shownat 62. The bores 56 for studs 58 are arranged in a row parallel with thefront wall 24.

In operation, the bracket 10 is mounted in a vertical position offsetfrom the vertical center of the back plate 20 of transformer 12 so thatthreaded bores 48 are aligned with two of the threaded bores 23 in thewings 21 of the plate 20. Screws 50 are then rotated by a conventionaltool such as a screwdriver so that the inner ends thereof are threadedinto the bores in the plate 20 and the head of the studs 50 become flushwith the side wall 44 or extend inwardly into the bores 48. Thetransformer is then manually lifted and moved so that groove 34 receivesrod 14 and the rod abuts against the side walls 44 and 46 of trough 36.The transformer and bracket 10 are then rotated about the axis of rod 14to the desired angular position and then slid or moved vertically alongthe rod 14 to the desired vertical position, and then the screws 58 arerotated until their inner ends 62 tightly abut one side of the rod 14and urge it tightly against walls 42, 44 and 46. It is to be noted, thatthe rod 14 is a part of a conventional laboratory stand and is one-halfto .540 inch in diameter. The axis of bores 56 and studs 58 are spaced adistance from the wall 44 which is slightly greater than the radius ofthe rod 14, and this distance may be for example or A of one inch. Thisensures that the curved end 62 of stud 58 will contact the rod 14 so asto urge it inwardly within groove 34.

While this novel clamp or bracket 10 has been particularly designed forlaboratory use as explained above, it is apparent that the bracket maybe made in larger or smaller sizes if desired to be used for otherpurposes.

The foregoing is considered as illustrative only of the principles ofthe invention. Further, since numerous modifications and changes willreadily occur to those skilled in the art, it is not desired to limitthe invention to the exact construction and operation shown anddescribed, and accordingly, all suitable modifications and equivalentsmay be restored to, falling within the scope of the invention asclaimed.

What is claimed as new is as follows:

For use in releasably mounting a unit having a substantially planar baseon an elongated cylindrical support rod, a vertically elongated member,said member having a groove formed in one side thereof, said grooveextending longitudinally throughout the full length of the mem her, saidgroove being of a depth suificient so as to accommodate a major portionof a support rod, said groove terminating in a fiat bottom Wall, saidbottom wall being substantially parallel to the side of the elongatedmember opposite from said one side, this opposite side beingsubstantially planar and adapted to receive the planar base fiatthereagainst, a plurality of fasteners for securing said base to theelongated member, said fasteners being vertically spaced along saidmember and engageable with said base through the bottom wall of saidmember, and vertically spaced along said member and engageable with saidbase through the bottom wall of said member, and vertically spacedadjustable fastening means extending through said member and engageablewith a support rod positioned within the groove for fixing the positionof the member on a rod, the side walls of the groove diverging outwardlyfrom opposite edges of the bottom wall toward said one side, one of saidwalls having the outer portion 20 thereof angled so as to extendsubstantially parallel to the other side wall, said outer portionterminating at said one side inwardly of the corresponding edge of thebottom wall, said side walls, including said outer port-ion, being fiat,said fastening means extending into the groove from the other side wallin a manner so as to force a cylindrical rod into line contact with thebottom wall and inner and outer portions of said one side Wall.

FOREIGN PATENTS 531,774 10/1921 France.

CLAUDE A. LE ROY, Primary Examiner.

ROBERT C. RIORDON, Examiner.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE CERTIFICATE OF CORRECTION Patent No. 3,232573 February 1 1966 Herbert I Berman It is hereby certified that errorappears in the above numbered patent requiring correction and that thesaid Letters Patent should read as corrected below.

In the grant (only) line 1, for "Herbert L. Berman" read Herbert I.Berrnan Signed and sealed this 20th day of December 1966.

ERNEST W. SWIDER EDWARD J. BRENNER Attesting Officer Commissioner ofPatents

